FCC bans devices containing Huawei subsidiary HiSilicon chips

The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has banned two types of electronic devices from the American market due to the inclusion of chips produced by HiSilicon, a subsidiary of Huawei. The affected products include a dashboard camera and a wireless video transmitter.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr stated that the chips are marketed for the surveillance industry and include facial detection algorithms. He characterized the presence of components from companies on the national security list as posing an “obvious and unacceptable risk to our country and our people.”

This action marks the first time the regulator has exercised new authority to sanction products based on the origin of their components, regardless of the final brand name. The decision follows a July vote by the FCC to prohibit the sale of equipment containing core components from Chinese firms identified as national security risks, such as Huawei and ZTE.